Return to Me
by ElissaCousland
Summary: Fanille fluff by request. Dedicated to all the soldiers and their loved ones. On the eve of Fang's departure for the War, the lovers cherish precious moments.


-Return to Me-

The proud young adult slowly folded her extra sari into her travel pack as the Pulsian sun glowed softly into the single window of her bedroom. _Eighteen now… _she thought as she heaved a sigh tinged with sadness. _Off to war._

She bit her lip and closed her eyes to the backdrop of her lover's muffled sobs. "Vanille…," she began without turning around. _What do I say?_ The warrior was at a loss. Since they were children growing up in the orphanage, they'd never spent a single moment apart, except for when Fang went hunting with the other fighters.

"Fang…" came a soft plea.

Fang turned around, eyes downcast. A moment later, Vanille's arms wrapped around her waist. Soft red hair found the underside of her chin as the girl cried into her chest.

"Vanille…I…"

"Please…Fang…" she sniffed, tightening her vice grip on the older woman.

"Vanille…" Fang gently tilted the girl's chin upward to face her. A small smile touched her lips before the younger girl spoke.

She pulled away from the warrior and rubbed the tear-streaks from her face. She shook her head as if to confirm what she was going to say next.

"I won't let you go. I won't!"

"Vanille," Fang reasoned, putting a hand on Vanille's shoulder, " I have to-"

"You can't!" Vanille pleaded, grasping her sari with both hands and shaking her, as if projecting her despair would somehow keep Fang by her side. "You can't unless you promise!" she shouted.

"You have to promise me!," Vanille broke down into sobs again and hugged Fang again, tighter this time, to where the huntress could hardly breathe.

"Vanille," Fang glanced down at her lover, gazing into her trembling viridian eyes, "I'll promise you anything. I'll do anything for you. Anything you want, my love," Fang soothed, cradling Vanille's head in her hands as they alternately stroked her head and her cheek. "I _love_ you," she added, with as much conviction as she had within her being.

Vanille sniffled away some fading sobs. She glanced up at the raven-haired goddess who was her friend, lover, her first love, her true love and so, so much more. The thought of Fang leaving for the war was more than she could bear.

"Do you swear?" she asked, as her voice hitched from her bout of sobs.

"I _swear_," Fang's answer was immediate and brooked no further contest.

Vanille nodded slowly, her eyes still swimming with unshed tears. "Then you've got to promise-"

Her throat tightened. The tears she was trying to hold back fell soundlessly to the bare wooden floor.

"Promise me…" her voice was soft, quieter. Fang's brows met in the middle of her face.

Vanille swallowed past the lump in her throat. She wanted to say this. Wanted Fang's promise, before she left her here to live alone, without her.

"-that you'll come back…" she squeezed Fang tighter, "Come back to me," she pleaded, broken once more and burying her face in the huntress' bosom.

"Vanille…" Fang's voice was softer than the fading rays of Pulse's light, "I'll come back to you," she swore, as she stroked Vanille's hair. She kissed the top of her head fiercely, gripping the younger woman tight against her. "I'll always come back to you,"

She pushed Vanille slightly away from her, breaking the embrace momentarily to catch her lover's wavering gaze. "Listen, Vanille. I love you. Nothing on Pulse or Cocoon has the power to keep me from you. _Nothing_."

"Fang," Vanille sniffled, her tears finally subsiding back into her heart, " I love you." she reached up on her toes, her hand going around Fang's neck for balance. Fang her head down and snaked her arms around Vanille's waist giving a gentle tug upwards to help the shorter girl as their lips met in a tender kiss.

Vanille 'eeped' at Fang's strength and hopped up, throwing her legs around Fang's waist. Fang held her there, standing while they continued to kiss, exploring each other tenderly, as if it was both their first time and their last time.

The kiss seemed to last into eternity, neither one wanting to break from the gentle caress of lips, the sweet press of flesh and tongue. Vanille sighed against the roof of Fang's mouth. Fang pulled Vanille's hair bands out and ran her fingers through the girl's soft, wavy tresses.

The downy feather mattress sank with their combined weight. Vanille giggled as she pinned Fang's arms down. The huntress played along, a wide grin on her face. "My, my," Vanille began, "it looks like I've caught myself a hunter."

Fang's smile widened.

"I wonder what I should do with you?" Vanille continued, a mischievous grin splayed across her youthful features.

"Hmm, you _could_ let me go," Fang observed.

Vanille sat back against Fang's thighs. Straddled across her lover's waist, the young redhead carefully considered her suggestion. Vanille shrugged.

"Where's the fun in _that_?" she mocked. "No," she shook her head. "I think I like you right where you are just fine thanks." She nodded to herself for confirmation.

She bent to claim Fang with a breath-stealing kiss. The huntress put up little protest, melting into the younger woman's touch with tender desperation. Vanille's lips were hot against her own, fevered with a desire that didn't need to be spoken aloud to be understood between them. Tonight was the last night they would see each other for Maker knew how long.

Vanille broke the kiss first, her smaller lungs in need of air. Viridian need glanced down at the willing captive. The huntress smirked, her ever-present smirk. "Mmm, well, if that's the treatment you're offerin'…guess I'll have to stay then,"

_Fang…_ Vanille's eyes pleaded silently. Fang answered with gentleness and love. Vanille smiled. Fang felt her heart flutter as it always did at that precious look on her love's face.

The younger girl regained her composure quickly. She did her best impression of Fang's smirk, which was actually pretty darn accurate, Fang noted.

"Damn right you will," Vanille said in an uncharacteristically low and husky tone. Fang's adrenaline spiked at that very moment, and the recognition of Vanille's bedroom voice. It was the same tone she took when promising Fang her wildest desires, their bodies pressed so close she could feel the heat coming off the younger girl in waves, Vanille's downy-soft lips pressed to her ear, so the other villagers wouldn't hear.

Vanille sat back and began to systematically remove her beads, strand by strand, allowing them to fall where they may. Fang watched her personal strip tease with growing interest as more and more layers of Vanille revealed themselves beneath the carefully crafted beadwork. The huntress slowly began to stroke the outside of Vanille's thighs. The redhead smiled absently at her lover's touch, removing her bracelets now with equal care.

Vanille sat there, smiling coyly at Fang, in just her skirts and top. Fang reached up to touch Vanille's stomach. The huntress admired the tension in the muscles under her hand. She realized, and not for the first time, that even though Vanille was smaller, she was in no way weak. The redhead was every bit the warrior Fang was, as evidenced by the taught sinews of her shoulders, the flat, smooth expanse of her torso, the gentle, but firm curves of her thighs.

"So lovely…" Fang whispered.

Vanille smiled shyly. "You're not so bad either, you know,"

Fang propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes never leaving Vanille's. She sighed wistfully. "What'd I ever do to deserve you, Van?" she asked genuinely.

Vanille tilted her head to the side. Her lips pursed together as she thought for a moment. "Well… you rescued me from those bullies,"

Fang laughed. "That was ten years ago, Vanille!" she exclaimed.

"I know," Vanille nodded, her cheeks turned pink.

Fang paused in her amusement. "You mean…"

"You've…been in love with me all this time?" Fang asked, slightly amused. She nodded. It all made sense now. Sure they were friends, bestest friends, for a long time, but… "Is _that _why followed me around so much?"

Vanille said nothing, but her cheeks flamed, her childhood crush now revealed. Fang made a soft, amused sound. She pulled Vanille down on top of her for a gentle kiss.

"Well, I couldn't just let those mean boys pick on the cutest girl in Oerba, could I?" The lovers smiled at each other, Fang with pure love, Vanille just a bit shy, but loving all the same. Their lips tasted of each other again. And again. Vanille pulled away and laid her head on Fang's chest. Fang sighed, just holding her there. She ran her fingers through Vanille's hair.

"I'd tear down the sky for you, Vanille."

-FIN-


End file.
